John k



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. K. ROSS.

v(No Model.)

, CORSET.

Patented June 2'7, 1893.

il-- l 21-1-12--- Luit-- i--5------lllitll- I- t- @M1/mono 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. K. ROSS. CORSET.

(No Model.)

No. 500,431. Patented June 27, 1893.

elttocmifa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K ROSS, OF NEIVARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS F. SOMERS,

OF NEI/V YORK, N. Y.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,431, dated J' une 27, 1893.

Application filed March 22, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. ROSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented certaiu new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain4 new and useful improvements in waist-band stays for corsets; having forits object to prevent breakage or wear of the corset at or near the waist portion thereof and at the same time to permit of an easy-play or yielding of the corset at such points, in the bending or movement of the body of the wearer, it being a stil] further object to provide a waist-band stay which shall preserve the shape and symmetry of the corset and add greatly to the ornamental appearance of the same; also one which shall from its arrangement, accurately conform to the shape or curve of the body and hips and which shall be free from many of the objections heretofore experienced with this class of inventions.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide a corset with vertical main stays which are not continuous throughout'the height of the corset, but which are of shorter length than usual and separated at the waist portion to admit of the insertion intermediate of their contiguous ends, of a waistband that is formed of an inner or outer band having bone pockets exten ding horizontally of the corset around the waist portion thereof, into which pockets suitable ribs of whalebone or the like are inserted. Again it has been proposed to provide acorset with what is known as a corded waist piece, inserted by stitching onto the main side portions only of the corset above the hips, and consisting of a number of corded seams running horizontally between two adjacent or closely connected vertical main stays. And it has still further been suggested to provide on the inner or outer side of the body of the corset between the main stays at the sides, a separate wing provided with a number of oppositely inclined or converging bones or st ieners secured or inserted into pockets which are formed in the usual way by stitching. Each of these pre- Serial No. 467.178. (No model.)

viously suggested forms are open to several objections, the principal one being that they do not permit of that ease and conformability that is so desirable in use and they do not prevent or obviate to any appreciable extent, the wear or breaking down of the corset at the waist portion thereof. By my invention the objections recited are entirely yovercome and as distinguished from the use of a horizontally or inclined arrangement of the bones which constitute the stays, I resort to the use of a band or belt extending all around, or for practically the entire width of each side of the corset, that is to say, from front to back, and such band, belt or stay is constituted of a n-umber of vertically arranged bones or stiifeners contained in pockets which are formed between an outer facing and an inner backing, and having stitched across the ends of the pockets a tape or border, which in addition to preventing the bones from being forced out of their pockets, also serve as a means of attaching or securing the said waist-band or stay to the main body of the corset. The said vertically arranged bones or stiifeners may, if desired, be of the same or nearly the same length or height, but preferably in order to conform to the usual fullness that is imparted to the body of the corset at the hips and other portions thereof, I prefer that the length or height of said bones or stiffeners shall gradually increase outwardly. The said waist-band or stay maybe made separate from the corset and subsequently attached or secured thereto, and the same may also be constituted of a number of pockets closely arranged together, and unbroken by any intermediate spaces between the same. Preferably, however, I form the said waist-band or stay with the corset at the time of manufacture thereof, and I arrange the bones,ribs or stiifeners of separate sections which are inserted between the vertical main stays and then secured to thebody of the corset by means 0f stitching.

Instead of making the band or belt of separate sections I may unite each section by a webbing or connecting piece which, when the band is secured to the body of the corset would come under or over the vertical main stays, and in this way would a doubly secure fastening be attained.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, represents a view in perspective of one side of a corset having attached thereto a waistband stay made and arranged in accordance with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a sectional view thereof, taken on the line Fig. 3, is a similar View taken on the line y-y, and showing the border or tape fastener for closing the ends of the vertically arranged bonepockets, as well as formingaineans of attachment of the band to the corset body. Fig. 4, is a view in detail showing the sections of intermediate vertical ribs; and their pockets connected bya uniting strip or webbing which may be employed in instances where it may be desirable to manufacture the waist band separately from the corset proper. Fig. 5, is a sectional detail view representing the use of the band shown in Fig. 4.

The numeral 1, indicates the body portion of the corset which is provided at the back with the usual eyelets for lacing together the two parts, and in the front with the usual fastenings, as shown. The said body portion is made up of a number of separate sections 2, cut to the required shape and united to the back or inner strip 3, and to the outer or face strips 4, by means of stitching 5, separate rows of stitching 6, being passed through the strips 3 and 4, parallel with said stitching 5, and the said strips 3 and ,formingbetween them pockets 7, into which the vertical main stays 8, are received or inserted. Between each of the rows of stitching and G, additional narrower or slender stays or reeds 9, are also placed or inserted the pockets which receive said main stays or blades, as well as those receiving the reeds 9, being closed at the upper and lower ends either by crossstitching or otherwise.

It is evident that while I have shown a particular kind of corset my invention may be equally adapted to corsets of different or various kinds.

A series of vertically arranged bones, reeds or stiifeners 10, are inserted in vertical pockcts 11, which are formed between an inner fabric 12, and an outer fabric or facing 13, by vertical rows of stitching 14:, as shown. These vertically arranged ribs are preferably made up of separate sections a., b, c, and as will be observed, the height of the outer ones of the sections slightly increases outwardly toward the front and back of the corset. This is preferable so as to give an equal conformity throughout, and by so doing the shape of the corset is maintained stiffer and stronger. The ends of the vertical pockets in the sections a, b, c, are closed by means of longitudinal borders or tapes 15 and 16, which are stitched onto the outer side ofy the corset, as shown, and which are fastened by a row of stitching 17, passing through the fabrics 12 and 18, as Well as the corset body, and another row of stitches 17, passing through the tape or border and the corset material only. In this way the vertical bones, reeds, orstiffcncrs are preserved in place within their pockets while a convenient fastening of the sections to the corset body is obtained. As before stated, and as herein shown, I may form the said waistband-stay of the separate sections a, b,

c, each being composed of a series or number of vertically disposed stiffeners, and the sections joined together or connected by webbing d. If desired, this form of staying band may be employed, in which case the connecting webs d, would be of a width to extend over the main stays, see Fig. 5, and be stitched v down by means of the same vertical rows of stitching which secures the main stay pockets to the corset body. In this way the attachment of the sections a, Z1, c,wo1`1ld be made much stronger, and no interference would be had with the insertion of the main stays or with the proper action thereof.

It is evident that the vertically disposed ribs, bones, or stilfeners 10, could be varied in height, as well asin the width of space,which divides or separates them. It is also evident that the ends of the pockets in. which said ribs, bones, or stiifeners are contained may be closed in a different way than by the use of the border tapes.

Other alterations and changes could be lnade in the details of arrangement shown, and therefore without limiting myself thereto, I claim as my invention and `desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A corset having its side portions provided with vertical main stays, extending from the top to the bottom edges and crossing the waist line thereof, and separate series of shorter vertical stays inclosed in pockets and arranged between said main'stays across the waist line of the corset, substantially asfdescribed.

2. A corset having at its side portions vertical main stays, and upon each side of each' main stay a separate vertical stay, and provided with a series of shorter vertical stays, at the waist line thereof, arranged between said sets of main stays, substantially as described.

3. A corset having its side portions at the waist line provided with a series of short vertical stays, each stay being in a separate pocket' and each end of the pockets being closed by a tape or binding, said pockets and binding being secured to the body of the corset, silbstantially as described.

4. A corset having its side portions made up of body sections 2, and intermediate pockets inclosing the main stays, each section 2, having arranged thereon at the waist line of the corset, and a series of short vertical stays, inclosed in separate pockets, substantially as described.

5. A corset having its side portions made up of body sections and main stay pocket sections, said body sections being stitched to the pocket sections at their respective edges,

IOO

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the main staygpocket sections being formed into separate pockets by lines of stitching 6, and stays inserted in said pockets, and each body section having arranged thereon at the waist line of the corset, a vseries of short vertical stays inolosed in separate pockets, substantially as described. A

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN K. ROSS.

Witnesses:

WM. F. LETT, J. G. FITZPATRICK. 

